Moistener-pad



(No Model.)

e. A. PRATT. MOISTENBR PAD.

No. 408,520. Patented Aug. 6, 1889.

i m@ MQ mm UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES A. PRATT, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS:

MOlSTENER-PAD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 408,520, dated August 6, 1889.

i Application tiled February 25, 1889. Serial No. 301,147. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES A. PRATT, a citizenof the United States of America, and a resident of Boston, in the county of Suffolk, State of Massachusetts, have invented a certain new and useful Improved Moistener-Pad, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to a moistener-pad for use, in countingbills, &c., to meisten the fingers of the hands; in afxing postage and other stamps, seals, dac., and sealing envelopes, duc., to moisten the adhesively-preparcd surface, and in press-copying to moisten paper sheets, and to coat surfaces, &c., with liquid.

The moistener-pad of this invention, in substance, is composed of a reservoir for liquid and a head or block held on the reservoir, and which in one part is made of metal, wood, or other material comparatively and substantially a non-absorbent of liquid, and has a chamber open to the reservoir, and at and on opposite sides of the head, and in another partis made of felt or other material an absorbent of liquid, and extends across and is entered into said side openings, and thence passes through -said chamber of the head to the reservoir.

In the drawings a moistener-pad of this invention is illustrated, and in a form and construction which is serviceable and practical for all the purposes stated. Figure 1 is a side elevation. Fig. 2' is a central vertical section. Fig. 3 is a plan view. Figs. 4, 5, and 7 are horizontal sections, lines 4 4, 5 5, and 7 7, Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a face view of the covering of the head or block and removed from it and the reservoir.

In the drawings, A is the reservoir for the liquid,which may be of an y size, shape, and m aterial necessary or desired. The moistenerpad, as particularly shown, in substance is composed of a head or block B, made of metal,-

wood, or other material comparatively and substantially a non-absorbent of liquid, and

material which is an absorbent of liquid, and

suitable, by capillary attraction, for liquid conduction, and which covers the top and sides of the head or block B, leaving exposed opposite side and top faces, and passes through slotted openings B5 at each side of thehead into the chamber B2 and its tubular continuation B3, and lines the walls of this head and its continuation. Further than the above, the chambered head or block B and its tubular continuation Bs are in similar longitudinal parts or sections hinged together at the upper side of the head, as at B6, to be opened from and closed upon each other, and both sections are exteriorly surrounded by a screw-threaded collar B7, similarly divided, which, with the tubular continuation of the head, is passed through and screwed by its screw-threaded collar B-7 into the screwthreaded mouth A2 of .the reservoir, it being obvious that the pad can also be easily removed by simply unscrewing itsA collar BT from the reservoir.

D is a core of felt filling the chamber within the felt lining of the tubular continuation B3 of the head or block B.

The reservoir A is to be filled with water or other liquid and the inoistener-pad attached, all as described, on which, by capillary attraction, the liquid of the reservoir is taken up by the felt lining or core of the head and conducted to the felt covering in 'continuation of the felt lining,.saturating and charging it with moisture at its exposed faces, for use as may be desired-as, for illustration, for counting bills, duc., to moisten the fingers of the hands by grasping the exposed faces of the pad with the fingers; for moistening the adhesive face of postage and other stamps, seals, envelopes, dac., either by passing the stamp, &c., over the exposed face or faces of the pad or an exposed face of the pad over the stamp, &c., and similarly for moistening or coating the surface of paper or other material with the liquid contents of the reservoir.

The construction of moistener-pad and its combination with the liquid-reservoir, all as described, is a preferable construction and combination'for many obvious reasons.

The tubular continuation of the pad head or block, as also the division of the head and its said continuation, may be dispensed with and the head and tube made in one piece IOO without division; but the tubular continuation and its division are both preferable, as the former serves to hold the felt core in position andthe latter' enables the felt lining to be the easier inserted and removed as desired.

Having thus'described my invention, whatI claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. A moistener-pad composed of a reservoir for liquid and a pad head or block B, held on the reservoir and constructed in parts, one made of non-absorbent material, having a chamber B2, with openings B5 on the opposite sides of the head and in communication with the reservoir, and the other made of absorbent material, which extends across and passes through said side openings of said chamber of the head, and into and thence through said chamber to the reservoir, substantially as described, for the purposes specified.

2. A moistener-pad composed of a reser- Voir for liquid and a pad head or block B, held on the reservoir and constructed in parts, one made of non-absorbent material in longitudinal sections, at one end portion hinged together, and having a chamber B2, with openings B5 on the opposite sides of the head and in communication with the reservoir, and the other made of absorbent material, which eX- tends across and passes through said side 3o openings of said chamber of the head, and into and thence through said chamber to the reservoir, substantially as described, for the purposes specified.

3. Amoistener-pad composed of areservor 3 5 A for liquid, having a mouth A2 and a cham bered pad head or block B, held on and attachable and detachable from the mouth of the reservoir, and having a tubular continuation leading into the reservoir, and all made 40 of non-absorbent material and in longitudinal parts or sections hinged together at the head, in combination with a covering C for said head, having an exposed face or faces, and a continuation leading into said head on 45 its opposite sides and the tubular continuation, and in communication with the liquid in the reservoir and made of absorbent matcrial, substantially as described, for the purposes specified. 5o

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES A. PRATT.

Witnesses:

ALBERT W. BROWN, HENRY F. MCKEEVER. 

